Sjöström and Heemskerk lifting the roof on last day Swim Cup
On the last day of the Swim Cup the female top swimmers make a sensational performance. Many incredibly fast times and Paralympic world records were achieved!
Sjöström iron lady in Eindhoven
In the series 50m butterfly women Sara Sjöström swam the season’s fastest time. In the semi-finals she swims even faster and sets a fantastic time of 24.69. This is the second best time ever in this discipline. In the final Sjöström allows her competitors to come a little closer but nevertheless it is Sjöström who finishes first. Kim Busch becomes Dutch Champion in this race swimming a time of 27.10.
Not only shows Sarah her fabulous performance in the 50m butterfly, she manages to swim a Swedish record (59.98) in the 100m backstroke which is a fairly ‘unknown’ distance for Sjöström. “I always wanted to swim under 01:00 but I thought it was impossible. I am very happy and surprised” so says Sjöström who started her first race on day 3 as a consequence of food poisoning. “I haven’t fully recovered, but I am full of energy and I am eating again!”
These magnificent achievements make Sarah Sjöström the best performing participant of the Swim Cup and she becomes the winner of the Swim Cup Eindhoven 2015.
Nijhuis predominates again
Moniek Nijhuis keeps peaking. She swims a Swim Cup record in the 200m breaststroke in 2:29.61. She is visibly surprised about the fast time she raced. “This is a personal record. I built up my race very well and adapted my technique. That definitely paid off in the 200m”.
World records for the Paralympic swimmers in the 100m backstroke
First it’s the men’s turn for the 100m backstroke in the afternoon session followed by the women. In the men’s final Olivier van de Voort swims a world record in 59.56. He is the first one in his class (S10) swimming under 1:00 in the 100 m backstroke. Lisette Teunissen who is Oliver’s team mate swims a world record setting a time of 1:49.28.
Verschuren and Brzoskowski just above limit
The 400m freestyle final men is covered by some strong competitors like Stjepanovic Bernek, Verschuren and Brzoskowski. Bernek finishes by one arm length before the others in 3:47.31. Verschuren (3:49.80) and Brzoskowski (3:51.10) tried to swim under the limit for the World Championships in Kazan, but both just didn’t make it.
Thrilling final at Swim Cup
The semi-finals 100m freestyle women on day 3 were spectacular. Ranomi Kromowidjojo swam her semi-final under the limit for the World Championships in Kazan and Femke Heemskerk swam very fast setting a time of 52.79. The final looks very promising and the audience in the fully packed stands in the Pieter van den Hoogenband Swim Stadium are beyond themselves. Their cheering makes the athletes even swim faster. Heemskerk finishes first setting a Dutch record time of 52.69. This is a fabulous closure of the Swim Cup Eindhoven 2015
Swim Cup 2015 successful
Beyond the success of all the sports achievements the organization of the Swim Cup also was a big success. No less than 5,683 people visited the Swim Cup. At the same time the Swim Cup was viewed via livestream (zwemsport.tv). Some 16,000 people watched the Swim Cup races on their smartphone, tablet or computer.
